OUTDOOR NOTES

Youth deer hunters harvested 20 deer Oct. 8-9 in Camp Ripley. Good weather played a big role in the record harvest, said Beau Liddell, DNR area wildlife manager at Little Falls.

A total of 152 permits were issued with 132 hunters participating. Youth hunters had a success rate of 15 percent for the two-day hunt.

The hunt took place in a 15,000-acre area on the northern third of Camp Ripley. Does comprised 12 of the 20 deer taken. Bryan Callahan, Rush City, took the largest deer, a 196-pound, 10-point buck.

All youth hunters were paired with nonhunting adult mentors. The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association and the Minnesota State Archery Association were the primary hunt administrators.

Early antlerless youth deer season open in northwestern Minnesota

Hunters ages 12 to 14 are currently participating in northwestern Minnesota's special youth antlerless deer season. The Oct. 22-23 hunt is taking place in Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Pennington and Roseau counties.

Participating youths are accompanied by a parent, guardian or another adult who is authorized to take the child hunting. The adult may not shoot or carry a firearm and must remain with the child at all times.

While the area of the hunt is located in Zones 1 and 2, youths with any 2005 Minnesota firearms license are participating. Party hunting is not allowed during this special season. Only one antlerless deer may be taken per hunter.

Youths who participate in the special season may still participate in the regular firearms deer season, though any tag used during the special season counts against their annual bag limit.

Lakeshore Conservation Club 2005 League results listed

First place, no handicap, Lakewood Clinic: Pat Goff, Ryan Goff, Bob Mueller, Bill Mennis, Billy Olmstad, Bob Tobor, Brian Mullaney.

Second place, no handicap, Mattson Lumber: Tom David, Jamey David, Ted Lundrigan, Don Stumvoll, Rori Stumvoll, Brian Stumvoll.

Skeet, first place, no handicap: Larry Pierce, Paul Houle, Dean Ceminski, Mark Sparrow, Steve Krueger.

First place, handicap, Rardin Construction: Jan Retka, Nikki Shoutz, Darlyne Dano, Noni Stumvoll, Shirley Stumvoll, Alicia Weagel, Ginny Mueller.

Second place, handicap, The Weagel Works: Dan Berg, Don Bible, Bill Habein, John Kiefer, John Ryan, Chad Sherak, Steve Weagel.

First place, handicap: Ted Lundrigan, Don Sigety, Len Loukota, Doug Braker, Larry Kersbergen.

Top Guns: Trap, men, Brian Mullaney; Trap, women, Jan Retka; Skeet, Don Bible.

Labor Day, 100 bird shoot: Class A, first place, Pat Goff; Class B, first place, Steven Weagel, Class C, first place, Mike Lepel.

DU to help rebuild coastal wetlands

Ducks Unlimited and several partners have been approved for a project under the North American Wetlands Conservation Act to help restore more than 1,500 acres of wetlands along Louisiana's hurricane ravaged Gulf Coast. About $2.3 million in matching funds from partners will be paired with $995,000 in NAWCA funds to underwrite restoration.

The project sites are located in Cameron, Calcasieu, and Vermilion Parishes, all of which were hit by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Partners in the project include Ducks Unlimited, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Vermilion Corporation, BP America Inc., USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Partners' contributions to the project amount to $2,317,639 in matching funds and $11,816 in non-matching funds. Ducks Unlimited leverages grassroots dollars through NAWCA grants to conserve more habitat. DU contributed $102,639 in matching funds to leverage this federal grant. It's expected the project will take two years to complete.

DNR to test deer for bovine tuberculosis in northwestern Minnesota

The DNR will test deer for bovine tuberculosis this fall in northwestern Minnesota. The disease was discovered in three beef cattle herds in the Roseau County area last summer.

On Nov. 5 and 6, the first weekend of the firearms deer season, the DNR hopes to inspect and test at least 400 deer harvested by hunters. Hunters will be asked to allow their deer to be tested as they register them at designated businesses in Skime, Grygla, Wannaska, Fourtown and Hayes Lake.

Historically, bovine TB has been very rare in whitetail deer and has not persisted in wild deer populations. Before 1994, only eight cases had been documented in wild deer in North America.

North Country question of the week

How serious is the threat from invasive plant and animal species and how has the battle gone so far?

"Zebra mussels, soybean aphida, Eurasian watermilfoil, European buckthorn and purple loosestrife are a few examples of invasive species that are displacing native species and degrading natural, managed and agricultural landscapes," said Jay Rendall, DNR invasive species program coordinator. "The potential arrival of gypsy moths, silver carp and emerald ash borers could cause more economic and environmental harm. The problem is perpetual and requires continuous action by everyone."